Rebuilding A Life
by Lee Davies
Summary: Bert and Mary are happy, but what of his friends Olivia, Robby and his old captain Matthew Wallace? Can Bert help the three of them find happiness?
1. Chapter 1

_Heeellooo...I'm BACK! This is the second story in what I am privately calling my "Winds of Change" trilogy. This one is going to focus more on Matthew, Olivia and Robby but Mary and Bert are definitely still in here quite a bit. And just so you all know upfront...Olivia and Robby are not getting together. I started to ship them, but Bert-in-my-head was all, "Nope. It wouldn't work and this is why", so I had to conceed that he was right, blast him._

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><p>Bert Alfred stood in front of the mirror, almost not even recognizing himself. Tonight was the evening of the event that Robby had put together to honor those who had fought in the Great War. Poetry, music, and various other forms of art would be featured and some of it was his own.<p>

So in order to mark it as a special occasion, he had allowed Robby to talk him into wearing an army dress uniform, which he was entitled to wear but had never seen any reason to.

Tugging the cap into place over his newly cut hair, he took a last look. He seemed...remote somehow, not at all his usual pleasant self. And he could even feel himself standing differently, back straighter and hands crisply at his sides. It seemed that old habits died hard.

Chuckling self-depricatingly, he got his crutch (which had recieved a new coat of paint) under his right arm and stumped out of the bathroom. Mary was in their bedroom getting her coat and he paused in the doorway to watch her, a genuine smile spreading over his face. She was about three months along with their third child and to his eyes, she grew more beautiful each day. Jerry and his younger sister Sarah were spending the night with their Uncle Gavin, Aunt Jane, and best friends Herbie and Liza.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly, still feeling a bit self conscious in these unfamiliar clothes.

"I am." she said as she rose to her feet and turned to face him. She paused, eyeing him and Bert wondered if he'd hung one of his medals upside down until she spoke. "If you wore that more often, we might very well have five children instead of three!"

He laughed out loud. Mary rarely made comments like this, but for her to do so meant that _she_ certainly approved of the dress uniform! So he would try to relax.

He offered her his arm as they moved toward the front door and she looped it through his. "Are we meeting Robby there?" she asked and he nodded.

"We are. Olivia is coming and so is Matthew." he informed her with great satisfaction and she rolled her eyes. How could _he_ help it if he was Mr. Matchmaker? So far, he'd managed to make 10 happy couples without even trying!

And Olivia needed someone that could understand her. Although he loved Robby as another brother, he could see that it wouldn't be a good match. They were too different in some fundamental ways and if they had married, they would both have been very unhappy. But Robby was still presisting and Bert feared that if something didn't happen so, he would end up losing Olivia's friendship for good, which he didn't want to see.

"Robby keeps asking Olivia to marry him." he sighed and Mary looked sympathetic.

"It's hard for you to be in the middle, isn't it love?" she asked softly.

"It is. Especially when I care about them both and want them to be happy! But I _know_ that it wouldn't work out between them. Sometimes, Robby's stubborness is a great thing but in this instance, I'm afraid that he's going to drive her away completely if he doesn't slow it down and take some time to think things over."

"And that isn't Robby's style." Mary commented wryly and Bert chuckled. It most certainly was _not_ the way Mr. Graves chose to do anything.

"Exactly. But I suppose they're both grownups. Maybe they have to work it out between themselves."

The carriage arrived at the exhibition hall and Bert was glad to see the number of people milling around. "Seems as though the word has gotten out." Mary said as he helped her down from the carriage and he smiled.

"It sure does." he nodded as he helped her up the steps. He nodded to several people he knew until a familar voice called jovially, "Bertie Boy!"

Grinning, he turned to find Robby coming toward him, also in military best. "Hullo Robby." he said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Looks like a fair few people turned up!"

"Sure does, and I'm glad." Robby said honestly. "Olivia and Adam are about somewhere and your old captain is over by the drawings."

"Thanks Robby. See you around, eh?" Bert asked and Robby nodded as he greeted Mary cheerfully before melting away into the crowd as only he could.

Taking Mary's arm again so he wouldn't lose her in the throng of people, Bert made his way over to the artwork and found Captain Wallace studying several drawings that he had done himself. Mary's face was sober as she studied everything and he sighed inside. He'd sugested that she may not want to come, but she had insisted. She wanted to have a better sense of what he had been through.

"Hullo Matthew." Bert said and took the hand Matthew extended as he turned.

"Hello Bert! It seems that I get to address a few people this evening." Matthew chuckled. Bert couldn't help noticing that Matthew looked a little better since the last time they had met. Perhaps this evening would be good for a lot of people, all said and done.

"Looks like you do." he chuckled as Matthew made his greetings to Mary and inquired after Jerry and Sarah. As the two conversed, he saw Olivia and Adam making their way over.

Olivia looked...downtrodden somehow and he wanted to shake Robby until his teeth rattled but he couldn't get his friend to see what he was doing to the woman he "loved".

"Hullo you two." he said cheerfully and Adam shook his hand, chattering excitedly about one of the piano players he had just met who could play without being able to see the keys.

"Hello Bert." Olivia said quietly when Adam had gone to talk to Mary.

"You don't look so well." he said bluntly, surprised at himself.

Olivia did not take offense, however, and sighed softly. "I don't feel so well. Mother and Father have been applying more pressure than usual for me to wed and between them and Robby..."

"You've got a lot on your mind." he supplied.

She nodded. "Quite a lot. Still, I am glad I decided to come tonight. I think quite a few people needed this, even if they would not like to admit it."

"I agree with you." Bert said, his head turning as the master of ceremonies called for silence.

"This evening, it is our pleasure to have speaking to us the commanders of the 142nd Unit, Captain Matthew Wallace. After Captain Wallace addresses us, we will have a poetry reading by Robert Graves."

Before Bert could say anything, Matthew walked foward, removing his cap.

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><p>He was nervous. He had spoken to many people but never <em>this<em> many at one time. Removing his cap, he took a moment to collect himself.

"My name is Matthew Wallace. Some of you may know me as the son of Lord Greyson, but tonight I am merely another man who went away to fight for my country and was changed by it forever."

Everyone was listening raptly and he continued. "I commanded the 14nd Unit and we were based in the French Theatre. We fought alongside American forces in order to repel the Germanic invasion.

He swallowed thickly. The next things he had to see were the ones he was dreading.

"Over half my unit, over the course of the war, died. Many more were wounded, some of them permanantly."

His gaze couldn't help but flicker over to Bert Alfred when he said this.

"And I carry those who died with me." he continued softly. "I directly affected their lives and deaths with the decisions I made. Night after night, I wonder if I had acted differently, interrupreted information differently...if some of those young men might not still be with us."

Unable to bear any look of sympathy, he looked down at the floor for a moment. "But I am just one of many. There are far more people who bear greater burdens than I. The doctors and nurses who cared for the wounded are some. I saw many things, but they saw more than I ever will. But they have gone without honor or any sort of glory. So if you know of women and men who gave their humble service in a hospital...thank them. Because they have gone without acknowledgement for too long."

Applause greeted this comment and he waited for it to die down. "Tonight is a night of remembrance. We remember those who went on before us. We remember their bravery, their courage, and their spirit in the harshest of circumstances. So tonight, we who fought invite you to remember with us so that we never forget them, or why we are still here."

Bowing his head, Matthew tugged his cap on and left the stage to thunderous applause. Robert Graves nodded to him, looking impressed and Matthew smiled as the writer went to go take his own place on stage.

As he returned to where Bert was standing, he saw a young woman and her brother standing with them. And the moment their eyes met, Matthew felt...something. Something strange. Hopefully he would be able to figure out what this meant.

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><p>Robby was beginning to recite his poem and as it was one, Olivia had heard before, she wasn't paying overly much attention to it. Her mind was still on the words of Captain Wallace.<p>

Her father knew Lord Greyson, but she had never met any of the others in his family. His son seemed to be as thoughtful and eloquent as he was. And she could see all too easily the pain he still carried around with him.

She knew the feeling. As a nurse, she had many of the same wonderings. If she had seen something sooner, called for a doctor a little earlier...yes, she could understand what Matthew Wallace felt.

As he approached them, her dark eyes met his hazel ones and something flashed between them. Perhaps this meant he would be a good friend, as Robby and Bert were.

Robby finished speaking and as the crowd clapped, Matthew paused at Bert's side. The older man immediately turned to her. "Olivia, this is my old captain, Matthew Wallace. Matthew, this is Olivia Sims. She was one of the nurses who got me through when I was recovering."

He smiled kindly, extending his hand. "A pleasure, Ms. Sims. I believe my father knows yours."

"He does, and speaks of him highly." Olivia said as she shook his hand.

"As mine does of him." Matthew nodded, releasing her hand.

They stood in silence for a moment until Matthew motioned to the drawings. "Have you seen Bert's yet? They're marvellous as usual."

She chuckled as Bert flushed and shook her head. "I have not seen them yet."

"Then may I accompany you? Many of them are of places I know." he suggested, holding out his arm.

"That would be very kind of you." she agreed, taking his arm. Neither of them saw Robby standing a few paces back with a stony expression on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

_So apparently you people are excited for this! I have to admit, I've become rather fond of a few of my minor characters as well as Bert and Mary so it's fun to revisit them again. As always, read and leave a review if you have a mind to._

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><p>Bert turned and saw the expression on Robby's face. His friend shot him a venomous look and he sighed. "Robby, let's go talk." he said softly, snagging the back of Robby's coat and steering him out a side door.<p>

"You planned that, didn't you!" Robby demanded, whirling around to face him.

"Yes, I did." he returned calmly. "Matthew's father and Olivia's know each other and I thought that if she makes a friend who can show her that not all men are going to talk her down, she'd be willing to give _everyone_ a chance. Even you."

Robby gaped at him for a moment before closing his mouth. "Oh. I...I'm sorry." he sighed.

"The other thing is, Robby, you have _got_ to ease off her for a while. I know you care about her, but she's got a lot of pressure from her family right now and if she feels like you're pressuring her too, she won't even rethink her stance."

The other man nodded slowly. "That makes sense. Maybe my trip to America will be good for everyone."

Bert's eyebrows climbed. "Trip to America?"

Robby nodded, looking more cheerful. "Yes. There's a theater group in New York who want to turn "What The Sweep Saw" into a play and I've been invited to come and help them do it!"

"That's great, Robby!" Bert said, feeling a bit relieved. If Robby was in another country, then he really would be able to let Olivia have a bit of space.

"I thought so." Robby beamed and for not the first time, Bert had to question how deeply his feelings for Olivia really ran. If he had left Mary, _nothing_ would have put him in a better mood. Then again, Robby rarely ever spoke of how he felt about things. He offered great advice if it was needed, but he would never initiate a serious conversation on his own. Even after almost 8 years of friendship, he wondered just how well he really _knew_ Robby. Or if he ever would.

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><p>Olivia gazed at Bert's drawings, impressed at how he had been able to capture the frenzied feeling of what was going on in a still medium. "He's amazing." she commented and Matthew nodded his agreement.<p>

"He always was." he said fondly. "He had a little book and was always drawing at night when it was quiet."

"What sorts of things did he draw then?" she asked curiously. She had only known him from the hospital on and was curious to know a little of Bert before his injury.

"Bits of everything." Matthew reflected. "Sometimes it would be something that someone asked for, like the Bridge or Big Ben. But one of my favorites was a little scene he'd drawn out of his own imagination. There were four penguins setting up tea on a little white table."

"It sounds charming." Olivia said, smiling at the thought.

"It was. I've always thought he should turn it into a children's story." Matthew said as they moved along.

He stiffened suddenly and Olivia looked at where his gaze was. In front of them was a small drawing and it was of Matthew himself. He was sitting on a wooden crate, shoulders hunched and chin resting on his left hand. In his right hand was a pencil and across his lap was a book with paper on top of it. "He didn't tell me about this one." he said softly.

"What is it of?" she asked. She could hear the underlying grief in Matthew's voice and wanted to know. Perhaps if he spoke of it, he could begin to let go of it.

His hazel eyes turned and caught her in their depths. "Whenever someone in our unit died, I took the responsibility of writing to their families myself instead of letting someone who had not even known their sons at all do it."

He looked away for a moment. "I had to write far too many of those bloody letters over the years."

She could tell that he was trying to quell his emotions and in that moment, she impulsively squeezed his arm. He smiled gratefully at her and placed his hand over hers for a moment.

At that moment, Adam came over with Mary Alfred and Olivia could see immediately that something was wrong. Pulling away from Matthew, who followed rapidly behind her, she looked into Mary's face. "Mary, what is it?"

The older woman looked stricken and Olivia realized that she had come from the section of art that carried a warning. "Do you want us to find Bert?"

"Yes." she said softly, her lower lip trembling.

Matthew immediately strode off into the crowd and returned with Bert moments later.

"Mary love, shall we go?" Bert asked gently, taking his wife's hands into his.

"I would like to leave, yes." she answered and he looped his left arm around her. "We'll see you lot later, Olivia, Adam, Matthew." he nodded as they moved toward the door.

As the trio watched them go, Olivia reflected that it was nice to have had Matthew's help. She just hoped that Mary would be all right."

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><p>The carriage ride home was long and Mary knew that she should say something to ease her worried husband's mind, but her own thoughts were whirling with the images that she had just seen. Dead men, men with missing limbs and perhaps worst of all, men who had been burned.<p>

And these were just a small fraction of the things that Bert would have seen during the war. If she was sickened by the few drawings she had seen, she could now begin to understand just why it had taken him so long to piece his life back together. And why Matthew, Olivia and Robby were still working at it.

They arrived and as they climbed out of the carriage, she lightly squeezed Bert's hand. His frown softened a bit, but he still wasn't completely at ease yet.

Silently, the pair made their way to their room where they prepared for bed, but Mary couldn't sleep. As soon as Bert's breathing had evened out, she slipped out of bed and went to the nursery, sitting in the rocking chair and looking out at the sky, a hand on her stomach.

As she rocked back and forth, she tried to to push the images out of her mind. She was so intent on this that she didn't heart the soft thump of Bert's crutch until his hand touched her shoulder. "Can't sleep?" he asked softly.

"No." she admitted and he sighed as he took a seat in the window.

"What's on your mind, love?" he asked, his bright blue eyes holding her gaze.

"How...how can you not dwell on it?" she asked and he took a moment to consider the question carefully before he answered.

"It took time." he said, a sad smile on his face. "And sometimes, the nightmares still come back as you well know."

And she did know. To this day, he would still wake up at night, trembling and in a cold sweat.

He went on. "But having you, Jerry, Sarah and this little one coming gives a new meaning to my life. In a very real sense, you saved me when you came back to London."

Reaching out, he pulled her hand into his. "I love you and while I can't make what you saw go away, I can promise to hold you so that you won't be alone."

His words made her eyes well up and she cursed this part of being with child. She was so much more emotional than usual and she hated the feeling of not being in control of her emotions.

"I would like that." she said quietly and he got up, crutch tucked under his arm.

"Then shall we go to bed?" he asked.

"We shall." she agreed, allowing him to help her up from the rocking chair before returning with him to their room. He seemed to know that she wanted him close and wrapped his arm snugly around her, shoulder serving as her pillow as his other hand rested on her stomach.

"Good night, Mary." he said softly.

She put her hand over the top of his. "Good night, Bert."

As she closed her eyes, she hoped that it would indeed be a good night.

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><p>Matthew set his cap down on a chair, sighing as he hung his uniform up and made his preparations for bed. This evening had been good and he was glad he had gone.<p>

He was very glad to have met Olivia. She was obviously intelligent and kind and he had enjoyed speaking with her, as well as her younger brother Adam.

His only wish was that the other women he encountered could have her level of understanding. All they wanted to hear about was how glorious or honorable the war was. And he wasn't the sort of man willing to lie to them. His father had insisted on complete honesty and integrity and he wasn't willing to break that in order to appease someone who was only after his money and title any way.

Sitting down on his bed, he turned out the lights and fell into an uneasy slumber.

_It was raining, and a charge was expected to be conducted later in the day. As he sat with his rifle on his knee, he could hear the crackling of leaves from behind him and tensed._

_As the sound came closer, he moved to his left and waited. A German scout emerged from the clearing as as he tried to circle back around, his foot hit a branch._

_Swearing under his breath, he tried to hide himself but it was too late. The soldier took aim at him and he was able to use the tree as cover. Not wanting him to draw attention to his position, he took his own gun, bayonet attached and lunged._

_The metal drove home, driving the breath from the soldier and as he fell to the ground, a look of surprise crossed his face. Matthew wrenched his bayonet, now bright with the life blood of another human being and watched as the light faded from his enemy's eyes and his breathing stopped forever._

_His rifle joined the soldier's body on the ground as he fell to his knees and retched into a pile of leaves, knowing he would never be able to forget this man's face._

Jerking awake, Matthew rubbed a hand over his face before getting up and wrapping a bathrobe around himself. It was no good to try and go back to bed so he would spend tonight sitting up as he always did when this happened.

Opening the door softly to his library, he went over to the bookshelf and began to look through his collection, wondering what to read. His fingers drifted over the spines of the books until he came to the spot reserved for the Royce and Bertie series.

Smiling faintly, he picked up "What The Sweep Saw", deciding that he would much rather reread a familiar story tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry this has taken a while to get up! I just couldn't think how to get this chapter started and inspiration finally hit, so here we go._

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><p>The morning sun was shining, and Olivia was out enjoying it in her family's garden. She pottered here and there a bit but didn't really have much of a green thumb but she loved the color that flowers could bring to a place. That was part of the reason why she liked Bert and Mary's home so much. They always had such cheerful flowers out in the front of their house.<p>

As she let some dirt sift through her fingers, she could hear voices in the house and sighed. One of them was Robby and if was here to ask her to marry him again, she might just have to resort to something rather...drastic.

Adam came outside, Robby behind him. "Olivia, Robby's here."

"I heard." she said with a small chuckle. And that was true. One usually heard Robby _long_ before one heard him!

"You know me." he said cheerfully and she got to her feet, wiping her hands on a cloth.

"To what do I owe this great pleasure?" she asked. She was trying to remain calm and poised, but it was difficult with the panic that was beginning to come to the surface.

"I just wanted to say goodbye before I leave for America." he replied.

She stood for a moment in utter shock. America? He had never mentioned America before! "Oh?" she managed.

Robby nodded, a look of excitement on his face. "Yes. A theatre group in New York contacted me about turning "What The Sweep Saw" into a play and asked if I would be willing to come and help them so that it's as true to the book as possible!"

"That's amazing, Robby!" she said honestly. It was nice to see that others appreciated Robby's work and it was also kind of them to include him in the process of bringing it to stage.

"I thought so." he joked and she shook her head. How like Robby to have a joke.

"But as I said, just wanted to pop round and tell you where I'm going to be for the next few months." he added.

"Months?" she asked.

"It takes quite a while to get a script together." he explained. "Also, they want my input on everything from the stage design to the clothes so that it'll really feel like a British play."

"Ooh, I can't wait to see the dresses you come up with." she teased. Now that she knew she wouldn't have to field yet another marriage proposal from him, she could actually just enjoy his company. And it had been a while since she could do that.

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh thank you _ever_ so much, Olivia."

"My pleasure." she replied with a sunny smile.

Robby chuckled before motioning to the door with his head. "I'd better scoot. Still have to pack and get the papers in order."

"When are you leaving?" she asked.

"Tomorrow." he said cheerfully and she groaned. Typical Robby to leave everything until the last minute. The only times she knew him to have a plan were for his books!

"Go on with you then." she sighed, sounding like an exasperated older sister (which, with Adam, she had _lots_ of practice being!).

"Going!" he said cheerfully as he went up the steps. "I'll send you obscenely long letters."

"I'll look forward to them." she replied. "And do take care of yourself, Robby."

"I will." he promised. "You do the same, all right?"

She was touched by the concern in his voice. "I promise." she replied.

Grinning, Robby nodded his head and made his way back through the door and presumably out to the carriage waiting for him. She knew that her parents would be asking what he had said to her and she wasn't ready to speak with her mother about rejecting marriage proposals, even though he hadn't even made one this time.

She got to her feet, heading out into the maze at the center of their garden. She and Adam could go through it in about 10 minutes and the exit led into a small wooded area where she liked to sit and think.

As she sank down onto a log, she heard footsteps and stayed exactly where she was. Presumably, her parents had sent Adam to come and find her.

But it wasn't Adam. The steps came from the opposite direction and she was shocked to see Matthew Wallace emerging from the trees, a sheepish look on his face.

"Hello, Ms. Sims. Forgive me, I was unaware that I was on your property." he said with a smile and a small bow.

"It's quite all right, Captain Wallace." she replied, waving a hand. "I'm sure my father wouldn't have any objections to your passing through."

"He can feel free to return the favor, of course." he quipped as he made his way to a log directly across from hers and sank down gracefully onto it.

"I'm sure he will at some point." she chuckled. It struck her how at ease she felt with Matthew and thought that her first instinct had been correct; he would be a good friend.

"Undoubtedly." Matthew smiled before he tilted his head slightly. "I'm not disturbing you, am I? I can let you be..."

"No, not in the slightest." she said quickly before he could get to his feet.

"What brings you outside today?" he asked curiously.

"I like to wander in the garden and pretend that I know what I'm doing." she said ruefully and he smiled appreciatively.

"Much like me. I can admire the beauty of plants, but I'm afraid that I don't know the first thing about cultivating them. Father reckons that if I were a gardener, our house would have a perfect replica of the desert in the front yard!"

She laughed. She could very well relate to that. "Then you could build miniature pyramids in it and call it Little Egypt!" she joked.

Matthew pretended to be contemplating this seriously. "Hmmm...and then we could sell admission..."

"And Adam and I could dig a little trench from our pond to your property and make the Nile..."

"And there would be food and little trinkets from some of the best shops in London." Matthew added.

Olivia errupted into peals of laughter at the idea of either one of their families doing such a thing and he grinned at her. "It's rather tempting, just to see what my mother would say about this..." he said thoughtfully.

"I think mine would have a fit of the vapors that this country has never seen." she said through her laughter.

"Mine would join her. Especially about the time that the snake charmer showed up." Matthew said solemnly but there was a gleam in his eyes and she shook her head.

"Behave." she admonished sternly.

"I always behave." he said primly and Olivia just shook her head.

"Of course, it depends on who you ask, and if you mean good behavior or bad behavior." he continued.

"You, my good sir, are absurd." she sighed.

"I would have to agree with you on that score." he replied cheerfully as Adam came dashing up.

"Olivia, Mum wants to talk to you." he said in a meangingful voice and she groaned.

"Nothing good will come of this?" Matthew supplied and she nodded.

"Yet another marriage talk." she sighed and was surprised when he stood up.

"She can't very well badger you in front of company, can she?" he said, extending his arm to her.

"Captain Wallace, I must admit a fondness for the way you think." she chuckled, taking his arm. Adam looked at them, slightly agog but fell into step with them as they headed back toward the Sims household.

"If your mother's marriage talks are anything like the ones that my own dear mother insists on giving me, then I consider it my bound duty to save you from at least one!"

"You are too kind, good sir." she said and he bowed his head gravely before all three of them ended up lauging.

As they came up to the house, Olivia could see her mother lying in wait, but she smiled to herself when her mother saw that she had Matthew Wallace with her. The conversation would have to wait for another time.

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><p>Matthew wasn't exactly sure why he had offered to come back to the Sims household with Olivia, but the words were out of his mouth before he could even think about them. Perhaps it truly was because he could sympathize about having marriage shoved down one's throat. Or perhaps it was because he actually felt like...<em>himself<em> for the first time in a long while when he was around her.

She had a kind manner about her and he could see her being an excellent nurse. The thought occured to him that many a sick man would have been entranced by her, but he shook it away. She would be an excellent friend and he felt that he could trust her not to have any designs on him or his title.

He could see her mother awaiting her, and the expression on the older woman's face when she saw him arm in arm with her daughter made him want to laugh. However, he made sure that none of his amusement was evident on his face when they made their way up the stairs.

"Captain Wallace! What a pleasant surprise!" Mrs. Sims said, fluttering a bit. It was hard for Matthew to believe that this was the mother of an army nurse.

"Hello again, Lady Ellis." he returned, bowing low to her. Olivia's father, Oswald Sims was the Lord Ellis and it never hurt to be polite.

"I'm afraid that my husband is not in at the moment." she told him as she ushered them into the living room.

"Oh, this isn't a business call, Lady Ellis." he replied in his smoothest voice. "I was merely in the neighborhood and when I chanced upon Olivia, I took the opportunity of furthering the acquantance we made at the exhibition that Robert Graves put together last week."

"I wasn't aware that you had met my Olivia." Mrs. Sims said, glancing at her daughter with wide eyes. Olivia herself looked about ready to laugh.

"Very briefly. We were introduced by a mutual friend." Matthew said, his lips twitching slightly at the look on her mother's face. It was a bit naughty of him, but he already felt like he and Olivia were friends.

"Well how wonderful!" Mrs. Sims gushed and Adam rolled his eyes. Olivia elbowed him in the side subtly and he had to look away for a moment so he wouldn't lose it.

"Indeed." Matthew nodded. "And in fact, are not Lord and Lady Havers having their ball this evening?"

"They are, and we shall be in attendance." Mrs. Sims replied and Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Then perhaps you two ladies will be so good as to save a dance for my humble self?" he asked, giving Mrs. Sims his most winsome smile.

"I am sure we both will." Mrs. Sims said almost breathlessly and Olivia's shoulders were starting to shake a little.

"Excellent. That leaves me in tremendous spirits." he said with a straight face. He could play the games of the gentry well, but he disliked the facades and falsehoods. Especially after being in a war, he had no patience for this. But if it served to keep his new friend out of her mother's clutches, then he could play them for a time.

"Then we shall look for you there." Mrs. Sims nodded firmly.

Recognizing this as a dismissal, Matthew got to his feet and the other three did as well. "I shall take my leave, and look forward to meeting you this evening." he said. He shook Adam's hand, but kissed the hands of the two ladies before Olivia offered to show him to the door. Her mother agreed, immediately rushing off to see about her gown for tonight.

"You're awful." Olivia chuckled as she brought him to the front door.

"Yes, but I saved you a lecture, didn't I?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That you did, and you shall have my thanks. If you could stop them all together, you would have my eternal gratitude." she sighed.

"Let my awful mind think on it for a time. If I can run a military campaign, I believe I can find a way to get your mother to let you be." Matthew said with a little bow. "Until this evening, Ms. Sims."

"Captain Wallace, I look foward to it." she replied and he smiled to himself as he walked away and heard the door shut behind him. Let the games begin.


	4. Chapter 4

_And another chapter! Robby's POV will be introduced in the next chapter so that everyone knows what's going on with him in America. And reviews are greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoy!  
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><p>Mary stood in the kitchen, looking around and shaking her head with a small sigh. Jerry and Sarah had "helped" Bert make breakfast and there was a royal mess left behind! But at least the children had obviously had a good time with their father.<p>

With a few brisk snaps of her fingers, the kitchen was set to rights again and she nodded approvingly. She and Olivia usually had their tea in here and it wouldn't do to have flour and bits of egg shell everywhere. Last night had been a ball that her friend was dreading and Mary was prepared to offer tea and sympathy. Why couldn't her parents see what they were doing to her? But it wasn't her place to say anything.

She could hear Jerry and Sarah shrieking with laughter as Bert chased them around a tree and she smiled as she touched her gently rounded stomach. Soon, there would be a third for their games.

As she thought about this, and wondered if they would have another son or a daughter, there was a polite knock at the front door. Bustling over as best as she could, she opened the door to find a smiling Olivia.

"Good morning, Mary. Isn't it a lovely day?" the former nurse asked cheerfully as she came inside.

"That it is." Mary replied, her eyebrows raising. She knew that Olivia had not been looking forward to the ball that her parents were forcing her to attend, but perhaps she had been able to get out of it somehow. Surely she hadn't actually attended it!

"It appears that Jerry and Sarah are in high spirits. Bert too, for that matter." Olivia laughed as she took a seat at the kitchen table like she always did.

"They always are." Mary said fondly as she stole a look out the window and smiled at the sight of her husband and children cavorting in the sunlight.

Olivia nodded and poured them both a cup of tea, her movements deft and economical. Mary couldn't help but think that she would make some man a fine wife. She would be able to deal with emergencies with aplomb and not be taken with fits of the vapors like so many others in the upper classes.

"They would have had a fine evening at the ball last night." she chuckled and Mary stared at her for a moment before slowly walking over and taking her own seat. Olivia had gone? But what on earth had produced her fine mood?

"Oh?" she asked, keeping her tone lightly casual.

Shaking her head, Olivia set her tea cup down and leaned forward a bit. "Captain Wallace had come by earlier in the day and _completely_ befuddled my mother! It was rather cheeky of him, but it saved me from another marriage lecture for which I was extremely grateful."

Matthew? Matthew Wallace had befuddled Olivia's mother? Mary didn't doubt that he was capable of it, but he was usually so sober that she just couldn't picture him doing it! However, she knew that Olivia wouldn't lie about such a thing.

"So what happened at the ball?" Mary asked, more than a little curious. She knew that Bert would be teasing her about gossiping, were he in the house but luckily for her, he was still outside with the children.

Olivia chuckled. "Captain Wallace and I banded together against all of the people pursuing us. He danced only with me and we laughed at the way that people were trying to figure out if there was some secret arrangement between our fathers, of all the absurd notions!"

Now Mary knew that her husband had most likely been right. Olivia seemed more..._alive_ than Mary could ever remember seeing her. And if Matthew had been laughing too...well, it only meant that her husband the matchmaker would soon have another couple to add to his list.

"It does seem rather absurd." Mary replied, allowing herself a small smile.

"Captain Wallace and I see eye to eye on many issues." Olivia said, a bit more soberly. "We talked of how difficult it is to assume the semblance of the lives we left behind when everyone expects us to continue on as though nothing ever happened."

Mary nodded slowly. Bert had spoken of that a few times himself when she had pressed him. And after the exhibition, she could appreciate his side of it a bit more than she previously had. Even though she had hated to upset him, she had needed to see those things. She was his wife, and whatever burdens were his to bear, she would share them as best as she was able.

"I feel sorry for him." Olivia observed thoughtfully and Mary tilted her head slightly to one side.

"Why is that?" she asked before sipping at her own tea and taking a bite out of one of the fresh scones she had baked that morning.

"No one seems him for who he really is. All the women see is Lord Greyson's heir, a man with a future title and heir to a considerable fortune. They don't even _try_ to understand why he shies away from society, why he will not lie and play the silly games. And he still carries all of his grief from the war with him. I see it in him from time to time."

"Bert has been concerned about him for some time." Mary admitted, surprised that Olivia, though not having known Matthew for long, was able to see him so clearly. Perhaps it was the nurse in her that was able to see his hurts so well. Or perhaps it was because she knew from experience how Matthew felt.

"Our families' estates are near each other. Adam and I will be visiting him in a few days' time to see how he is faring. I enjoyed his company and hope to have his friendship." Olivia said, her tea forgotten at her elbow.

_If Bert has his way,_ Mary thought to herself, _he will have you two wedded before the year is out!_

"Matthew is a kind man." Mary said primly. "Bert and I consider ourselves fortunate to know him."

Before Olivia could reply, a familiar voice from outside could be heard growling," Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood...of a Jerry!"

The boy suddenly shrieked and both Mary and Olivia rushed to the window to find Matthew standing in the middle of the yard, Jerry clamped in one lanky arm as he tickled the lad with his other hand.

"Stop!" Jerry begged, laughing so hard that tears were starting to fall down his small cheeks.

"Why?" Matthew asked blithely. "I happen to be having a good time!"

"Please, Uncle Matthew!" Jerry cried as he writhed and twisted.

Mary could tell that Jerry had taken him by surprise and Matthew stopped tickling him, pulling him up to eye level and looking at him solemnly.

"What did you call me, Jerry?" Matthew asked, his voice soft.

"Uncle Matthew." Jerry mumbled.

"Hmmm...that is acceptable." Matthew nodded after a moment and Jerry hugged him, small arms squeezing him around his neck.

"You are a goof." Matthew chuckled, setting Jerry down on the ground. Sarah demanded that "Unca Maffew" pick her up and he did so, cradling the girl in his arms as he began to speak with Bert.

Mary glanced over at Olivia and wisely said nothing about the young woman staring at Matthew for a moment before looking away as though there was nothing of interest to see outside. Bert had been right, drat him.

* * *

><p>Entering the house with Matthew and the children in tow, Bert smiled as he made his way into the kitchen and kissed the top of Mary's head. She blushed a bit and gave him a playful shove away, but leaned back against him as he stood behind her chair, a hand on her shoulder.<p>

"Aren't they precious?" Matthew said in a fluttery tone and Bert laughed outright as Mary tossed a scone at him.

Deftly, Matthew caught it and took a bite out of it, chewing slowly. "Delicious as always, Mary." he pronounced, giving a little bow in her general direction. She rolled her eyes and Bert and Olivia exchanged glances and shrugged in unison.

He grinned and Bert stared at him a bit incredulously. He had _never_ seen that look on Matthew's face before and he glanced at Mary. She just lifted an eyebrow at him and a slow smile spread over his face. He knew that look. She was acknowledging that he had been right about Matthew and Olivia. She poked his arm and he quickly schooled his face. It wouldn't do to tip off Matthew and Olivia.

"Behave, Matthew." Olivia said. There was something in her tone that suggested an inside joke and Bert listened with interest as Matthew chuckled and replied, "I always behave."

They both laughed and his suspicions were confirmed. They already had an inside joke between them.

As they made small talk between them, Bert couldn't help feeling a bit smug. He'd known, somehow, that they would make a good pair. All he had to do now was sit back and let them discover it for themselves.

"Stop looking so smug." Mary muttered as she passed him in order to get a book that Olivia had been wanting to read.

"I shall try." he whispered as she passed him again. She didn't look convinced though, and as soon as both of them had left (Matthew escorting her home as a proper friend and gentleman would), Mary smacked him on the arm.

"What was that for?" he yelped, giving her a wounded look.

"You know what, Herbert Alfred." she replied as she rested her hands on her hips.

"Come on, Sarah." they heard Jerry whisper. "Let's go upstairs! Daddy's in trouble with Mummy again."

Bert's lips twitched and she tried to keep her own composure, but it was no use. Both of them erupted into laughter as their children tried to sneak away rather nosily up the stairs.

"Those two." Bert chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his wife.

"They are _just_ like their father." Mary admonished as she snuggled against his left side.

"I dunno...I think Sarah's just as beautiful as her mother." he said with a soft smile.

She glared up at him and he could tell that she was trying not to give in, but she never could stay upset with him for long. "You're a horrible flatterer, Bert." she said finally.

"S'not flattery if it's the truth, love." he returned, kissing her softly.

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back warmly and he was content to remain where he was until a loud cry of disgust from their son caused them to pull away.

"Mummy! Daddy! Gross!" Jerry groaned, his hands over his eyes. Sarah was behind him, nose wrinkled at the public display of affection.

Looking at Mary, whose blue eyes were dancing with merriment, Bert realized that he wouldn't trade his new life for anything. Even if Jerry and Sarah were little mood runiners.


	5. Chapter 5

_Now I am pleased to present...Robby in America! It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to do this, so here we go.  
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><p>The small apartment that Robby Graves was sharing with his sister wasn't much compared to what he was used to, but it served the purpose that he needed and as long as there was a place for him to rest his head at night, that was all he wanted and even needed.<p>

Eugenia was already asleep and as he cast his eyes over the letter from Olivia, he wondered what he would say in response. She seemed to be doing well, but she had mentioned this Captain Wallace. Still, she felt sorry for him. Perhaps it was her nursely side that was concerned for him. Either way, he was honoring Bert's request that he give her some space.

Her letter certainly seemed more cheerful. She had some funny stories from a ball that she had attended and he was going to ask if he could work them into his next book, when he actually got around to writing it!

Putting this play together was so much more work than he had anticipated, but he was enjoying every minute of it. It was a marvel to see the way that the set was coming alive as well as seeing how the new script had grown and shifted. There were things he had wanted to work into the first story but had never been able to and the script writers had been ecstatic when he shared some of this old material with them. Some of it was still on the pages that Bert had handwritten for him on the train back to London.

A small smile touched his lips as he looked at these pages. Eugenia had bundled them together and kept them separate from the finished books and while his eyes scanned over them, he remembered how he had been seven years ago. And while much of his life had improved, there was one thing that still eluded his grasp; a family of his own.

And he didn't want this just for himself. He knew that Eugenia had refused some proposals so that she could take care of him. A wife of his own would mean that she would be free to pursue her own dreams instead of putting everything on hold for him.

Sitting down slowly into the armchair he had just found in a shop downtown this afternoon, he scanned the letter that Eugenia had taken down for him thus far.

_Dear Olivia,_

_I trust that this letter finds you and your family in good health. While the weather has been beautiful for you, it has been absolutely ghastly here in New York! It rains so much that I quite feel as though I were at home!_

_Work on "What The Sweep Saw" progresses quite nicely. I was able to tour the set of the house today and think it is going to look absolutely grand when it is all finished! The artists here are envious of Bert; those drawings he sent me of the country house we decided to base Royce's estate on had them practically green! Although I'm sure he would blush and protest, I haven't seen anyone here whose art can touch his._

_It sounds as though Captain Wallace is going through a bit of a rough patch. But knowing Bert (and you as well), I'm sure he'll be sorted out and put to rights again. He struck me as a rather eloquent chap when he spoke. Do you know if he writes? If not, perhaps he should! You can pass that along as you see fit if you'd like._

_Enclosed are some of the fabric samples that are being considered for the women's dresses. Consult Mary, and choose three. I convinced the costume makers that we could trust your impeccable judgment so please don't choose the ugliest ones you can, although it would probably serve me right if you did!_

_I am still not sure exactly when I will return to England. There is still the cast to choose as well as debuting it to test audiences to work out any last minute details or matters that need attention before the theatre world at large is ready to receive it._

What else could he say? He didn't want to ask if she had given any more thought to his proposal, especially not now when her letters were as amusing and funny as they used to be. He had missed joking and talking easily with her.

Deciding that this was most likely the best place to stop, Robby scooted out of the chair and made his way over to where he was composing the newest Royce and Bertie mystery but oddly, he was stuck. He had introduced a character with a disability, a fellow who had lost his leg (with Bert's permission of course) intending him to be meant for the doctor's daughter down the road.

But the more that he tried to push these two characters together in his head, the more he realized that they simply weren't meant to be. What was more annoying, he had the feeling that these two already knew their perfect match but they weren't telling him who these people were!

Desperately, Robby looked at the calendar that Eugenia had left open on the small writing desk. He only had a few months before his publisher was expecting the book and he had even less time than that to get the pages to Bert so he could draw them. Of course, Bert was in high demand, not only for Robby's books but for a wide array of other works.

And unbeknowst to many, Bert was actually working on a book of his own. It was a children's book, based on stories that he told to Jerry and Sarah about a group of penguin waiters and the various misadventures they got into. Robby had heard one of these tales and insisted that Bert begin writing some of them down. It had taken a few years for his friend to take his advice, but Robby was quite glad that Bert had. Mary would have quite a surprise when _that_ went on sale at the book shop!

He looked at the pages he had written so far and bit his lip. Perhaps he should ask for help. Maybe one of the screen writers would be able to tell him why Ann and Evan weren't cooperating. And perhaps he would be able to get some ideas.

Having settled this, he went to bed, tired and looking foward to the day that was ahead of him. He would get Eugenia to post his letter for him.

* * *

><p>"..and he trusts our tastes?" Mary asked again warily.<p>

"That's what the letter says!" Olivia said, motioning to it. She and Mary both felt rather overwhelmed at having to choose fabric for these dresses but some of them were definitely _not_ suitable and she wondered if some of them had been included as a joke to test her.

Considering, Mary tapped the light blue with a finger. "Blue looks good on most everyone." she reasoned.

"A sound choice." Olivia agreed, setting that particular sample aside. A pale green and a black were also chosen and the rest were their's to do with what they wished. Mary had already shown Olivia how she intended to make some of the scraps into doll clothes for Sarah's doll that Bert had gotten her the last time he had been into London.

And speaking of Bert, he was being rather secretive and reclusive these days. He would only vaguely say that he was working on a "project" and volunteer no more information than that, even when Mary had made him sleep on the couch for a night!

Before they could say anything else, the front door burst open as though a bomb had gone off and throw it aside. Jerry and Sarah came racing in, along with Herbie and Liza. Gavin was calling to them to wait up, but the children were too wound up to listen.

"What on _earth_ is the meaning of all this racket?" Mary asked, hands on her hips. Olivia could definitely hear the "nanny" in her tone and tried to hide a smile as the children tried to contain themselves.

"Oh Mummy, you'll see!" Jerry said excitedly, bouncing from foot to foot.

"Well I suppose your father had better arrive soon before you lot reduce the house to rubble." Mary sighed, but Olivia knew her well enough to hear the small undercurrent of amusement in her voice.

Bert and Gavin arrived and Olivia couldn't help but smile as soon as she caught sight of Bert's younger "brother". Gavin was a cheerful man who almost always had a beaming grin and it was nearly impossible not to smile upon meeting him.

"Hullo lovely ladies!" he said as he crossed the threshold into the Alfred home and Olivia shook her head while Mary rolled her eyes, but she shoved Gavin lightly.

"Come take these heathens from our home." Mary informed him with mock severity and Gavin saluted.

"Will do, as soon as Bert shares his news." Gavin said with a wink.

Olivia was puzzled as Mary looked sideways at her husband, who stood with a huge smile. "Did he buy another house?" she asked.

Gavin and Bert cracked up and Mary just whispered, "Remind me to tell you later" under her breath. It appeared that "house" was another inside joke in the Alfred family.

"So what is this all about, Bert?" Mary asked, turning to her spouse.

In response, Bert stumped over to Olivia with a small parcel wrapped in brown paper. "Let Olivia open this, and you will see." he intoned in a mysterious voice.

Rather intrigued, Olivia tore into it rapidly and stared down at it. In her hands was a small book with a cheerful cover. "The Adventures of Percy Penguin" she read out loud. "Story and illustrations by Herbert Alfred!"

Turning, she saw the look of utter shock on Mary's face. Without a word, the older woman held out her hand and Olivia placed the book into it. From her vantage point as Mary flipped through it, she could see a quartet of penguin waiters and Percy was, as Bert explained, the youngest and the cheekiest.

One of the pictures was the one that Matthew had told her about, with the penguins setting up a small white table with tea for two. In the background coming down the small yellow path were a man and a woman. The man had a colorfully striped jacket on with a straw boater's hat and a cane in his right hand. His left arm was tucked into that of the woman's, who wore a white dress and carried a parasol. Even from the distance that the picture suggested, Olivia could clearly see the bright blue socks and white shoes that the man was wearing.

And then her eyes caught sight of something. The bow tie that the man was wearing was the exact one Bert and his groomsmen had been wearing at his and Mary's wedding! It was rather sweet of him to work that little detail in there.

"Oh Bert..." Mary whispered, her eyes brimming.

Gavin quickly gathered the children and Olivia felt as though she would have been intruding if she had stayed. Snatching up the fabric swatches, she almost fled from the house.

"Fancy tea at ours?" Gavin asked. "There's always room for one more!"

"I would appreciate that Gavin, thank you." she chuckled as she fell into step beside Sarah and Liza while Herbie and Jerry ran ahead.

* * *

><p>Bert eyed his wife nervously. Tears either meant she was angry, or sad, or extremely happy and while she was pregnant, sometimes it was all three at the same time! "Love?" he asked hesitantly, stumping his way over to her.<p>

She was leafing through the book again and paused at a picture of the carousel. "I can still hear the tune." she said softly. "And I remember waltzing with you..."

Turning the page himself, Bert motioned to the background where the shadowy man and woman were dancing to the music. "I'll always be able to dance with you on paper, love."

She set the book down and wrapped her arms around him. He held her close, cheek resting against the top of her head.

"I love you." he heard her mumble into his shoulder.

He smiled to himself. "I love you too, Mary Alfred. And I always will."


	6. Chapter 6

_So...gonna warn you right now that this chapter is kinda angsty. Actually, we can forget kinda. It's just plain angsty. Mascara warning of four in some parts (at least to me). Please review. It makes me happy. And it makes the men in my head happy too.  
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><p>It was a gray day, and one that perfectly suited Olivia's mood. She should have known that she was due for a blue day after a fortnight of not having any at all. But Adam was back at his boarding school again and even Matthew was busy, hard at work helping his father.<p>

So there was no one to distract her from her thoughts, or to take her mind off the nightmares that still plagued her. She knew that her father was concerned for her but how could she explain to him? He had no frame of reference for the horrors that she had seen.

Wrapping an old cloak around herself, she decided to go outside anyway. At least it would be a change from the library day after day. Perhaps some of the flowers would be in bloom.

As she walked slowly through the maze, she found herself reflecting on how she almost felt like a ghost, an old shade of herself that was haunting the life she had once taken such delight in. The parties. The men wanting to court her. Gossiping with her friends about the passe dresses that others and which plays they wished to go see.

But she wasn't the same shallow girl anymore. The Great War had been a harsh teacher and she'd had to learn many lessons about the way that the world really worked, especially during battle. None of the soldiers cared who her father was, or if she was in the latest mode of fashion. They cared if she did her duties well. They cared if she kept them alive.

A small patch of sun peered out from the clouds and she tilted her face up, enjoying the momentary and unexpected warmth on her face. Her eyes were closed and she didn't hear the footsteps from in front of her until a voice spoke.

"Olivia?"

Before she even opened her eyes, she was smiling. She knew that voice. It was Matthew.

"Hello, Matthew." she said warmly, pleased to see her friend. "I thought I might get outdoors today."

"The weather's been mild." he agreed. His sharp eyes were gazing at her in a way that told her he could see right through her facade of airy brightness.

"I needed to get out of the house." she admitted, the glow beginning to fade from her features.

"As did I." he replied and as she looked at him, she noticed his face looking white and drawn, much as it had when she had first met him.

"You...do not look well, Matthew." she said hesitantly. Yes, she considered him a friend but there were certain subjects that neither one had broached with the other and she didn't want to overstep her bounds and risking losing his friendship.

"I have been having nightmares with some frequency lately." he sighed as he dusted off a stump and sank down onto it. Olivia took a seat on the log across from him, nodding.

"As have I, and there is no one here to speak with them about."

Matthew nodded, his hazel eyes full of sympathy, as well as understanding. "It is hard to explain what a war is like to someone who has never been through one. You want to speak of it, but at the same time you do not wish others to suffer from your words, especially those close to you like family."

One of her eyebrows went up. How was it that Matthew always seemed to know what she was thinking? And even more than that, how was he able to express it so clearly? She had trouble explaining what she meant and then Matthew would say something and it fit perfectly.

"Precisely. Adam has asked me about what I saw, but I can burden a 15 year old boy with that?" she said, almost to herself as her fingers twisted her shawl back and forth.

Matthew paused for a moment. "I am no 15 year old boy. I have been through a war and I would be honored if you would tell me what is on your mind." he said softly, looking at her with that kind but in no way condescending way of his.

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Olivia closed her eyes. "I still see the faces of all of the men who died, pressing around me in a throng too great to number. They all ask me the same question: Why did you not save us?". I see the wounded, the dead, the dying...all of them needing help and I unable to give it to them."

Her voice broke and she swallowed down her emotions and continued. "When I wake up, I wonder how I can be expected to attend a ball where men strut around like peacocks for my attention when I have seen men begging for someone to ease their pain as they pass. I look at this life around me and on my worst days I wonder if..."

She couldn't finish the thought. It would shock him too much. But it was _she_ who was shocked when Matthew's soft voice went on.

"You wonder if perhaps it would not have been better for everyone if you had died in the war and never come back at all. That perhaps your family would be better able to handle a glorious death than having you underfoot and utterly lost. That perhaps a clean break would have meant you could finally have some peace instead of wandering through the world without a purpose."

Her eyes flew open and focused on Matthew, whose gaze was far away as he stared at the ground. Again, he had known exactly how she felt and how to put it into terms that someone could understand.

As he lifted his head and looked at her, she could clearly see the broken pieces still lingering inside him and she was surprised by the fierce desire that came over her to fix him. To see him find joy in his life and be happy and find the peace that he so obviously craved.

* * *

><p>Matthew hadn't meant to speak. But as Olivia told him of her dreams and her feelings, he found himself telling her the dark secret he had never shared with anyone. He too had those days when he wished he had never returned at all.<p>

As their eyes met, he could see that she was floundering, trying to keep her head above the dark water all the veterans of this war were treading. And he silently promised himself that he would not let her sink. He would keep her afloat, even if it required everything within him.

He went on, his voice gentle. "Everyone, if they are honest with themselves, has those days Olivia. There is no shame in them, no need to think that you are the only one going through them. Even Bert had some of those when he first returned to London."

One would never think it to look at his friend now, and Matthew hoped that someday he would find the happiness that Bert had procured for himself.

"He did?" Olivia asked, her eyes widening.

"He did." Matthew nodded. "He used to dance and not having his right leg whole was very hard for him to bear. At times he wondered if it would have just been best for him to have died instead of living as not even a whole man."

"If he hadn't lived, there would be no Jerry or Sarah." Olivia observed, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

Matthew chuckled quietly. "This is very true. They're adorable children."

"They are. And he and Mary are happy. Sometimes I wonder if I shall ever find that sort of happiness myself." Olivia said thoughtfully.

"I often wonder the same thing myself." Matthew said, his tone wry. "I think if I can find a woman not interested in me for my money. it will almost be a miracle!"

"There is someone out there for you, Matthew." Olivia admonished him. "And I shall help you find her."

He lifted both of his eyebrows. "Are you going to screen all applicants and send away the shameless hussys?"

"Matthew!" Olivia said, her tone one of mock outrage. She swatted his arm and a reluctant smile emerged on his face. At least she was feeling well enough to tease him a little bit.

"Well you must admit we know a few." he shuddered. "Rumor has it that Lady Williams wants me to marry Eleanor."

"Eleanor is most definitely a shameless hussy." Olivia replied, shaking her head.

"Then we shall throw away her application, as well as _any_ of her sisters." Matthew nodded.

"You really are absurd." Olivia said, laughing quietly as she gave him a small shove.

Matthew let himself fall all the way over onto his side before sitting up again. "What was that for?" he sniffed.

"For being utterly ridiculous." she returned, giving him a stern look.

"So? You laughed." he pointed out, folding his arms over his chest feeling a little smug about this fact.

"I did, and I shall call you Matthew, Lord of the Jesters." Olivia said, shaking her head.

"An interesting title." he deadpanned. "I will ensure that it is passed on to one of my heirs."

"You do that." Olivia sighed. One had to know her well to see that she was secretly amused, but _not_ willing to let him see that!

Slowly, he got to his feet. "Could I interest you in coming to our estate for tea? My father complained that your face had been absent of late and he would enjoy talking to you again. Mother is away visiting relatives, so we boors could do with a touch of class at our teatime today."

"You are incorrigible." Olivia said with a mock glare as she also stood up. "But for your father's sake, I will come."

"Only for my father's sake?" he asked as he offered his arm to her.

"Yes, only for your father's sake." she repeated as she took his arm, but there was a gleam in her blue eyes that he hadn't seen in a while.

"And you call _me_ incorrigible." he said.

"I am not incorrigible." she shot back. "I am witty and diverting."

Matthew couldn't keep himself from laughing, even when she shoved him again. "And what is so funny?" she demanded, tapping her foot on the ground as he tried to school his features back into a more placid look.

"I dare not say, otherwise I will be shoved again." he said, smiling.

As they began to walk, it appeared that Olivia was about to say something several times, but finally she spoke. "Matthew?"

He paused and looked at her. "Yes?"

She bit her lip before very lightly kissing his cheek. "Thank you."

He knew exactly what she meant. Smiling softly, he patted the hand that was on his arm. "Any time, Olivia. Any time."


	7. Chapter 7

_This should be less angsty than the previous chapter, hopefully! Any reviews are welcome (and I do mean any at this point. Seriously.). A new POV is introduced here, that of Matthew's father, Alan.  
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><p>Olivia waited as Matthew opened the front door of the Wallace home. It reminded her much of her own, except that there was bit more warmth in it. Matthew's father had, on her last visit, told her that the place had always depressed him and he deemed it to be in need of some sprucing up. So he had gotten rid of a few items and tried to make it more like a home as opposed to a "monument to one's ancestors".<p>

She liked Matthew's father; he was in essence an older version of Matthew, except not quite as sober as his son. Still, that was to be excepted.

Hanging up her cloak, she made her way to the dining room to find Alan Wallace, the Lord Greyson sitting at the table with a newspaper under his elbow. He looked up with a smile and rose to his feet. "Olivia, my dear! It is good to see you!"

"And you as well, Lord Greyson." she returned, curtsying as Matthew came in with the tea tray. She was very conscious of his eyes on her face and she knew that he would see through her facade. Still, like his son, he would not push her. In some ways, she was much more comfortable with Matthew's father than her own parents.

As Matthew set the tray down, Alan Wallace turned to her. "Would you be mother for us today, Olivia? My wife is away visiting family today."

"I would be honored, Lord Greyson." she nodded as Matthew turned the handle of the teapot toward her so that it would be easier for her to pour.

She picked it up with poise, carefully pouring out three cups of tea for them before placing the saucers in front of Matthew and his father. "Tea is served." she said with a small smile.

They talked of trivial things, but Matthew's father was witty and and he told her a story about a disagreement that had taken place in the House of Lords, she couldn't help but laugh.

While she composed herself, she noticed Matthew looking at her rather oddly but before she could ask him what was amiss, the look had vanished and she supposed that he must have been staring off into space, as she was wont to do herself.

Shrugging it off, she returned to her conversation with Lord Greyson. Perhaps Matthew would tell her what he had been thinking.

* * *

><p>Matthew was content to sit and listen to Olivia and his father talking. He had already heard the story his father was relating to her, so he was free to observe them. His father was still in good health, but there was more silver in his hair now and the lines on his face were becoming deeper. His father was getting older and soon, it would be his turn to take his position as Lord Greyson.<p>

How would he be able to take his father's seat in the House of Lords when he felt so inadequate? His decisions had caused people to die on the battlefield. Could he trust himself completely? Trust that his judgement was sound?

He was always second guessing himself, wondering if what he was doing was truly the right thing. And in order to perform all the duties that his father did, he would need a partner to help him.

But none of these society misses interested him in the slightest. They were all fluffheads, to borrow an expression from Adam and Matthew knew that he needed someone who knew what life was about. Someone who would be supportive, and that he could talk to about everything. Someone that he could trust not to go speaking of him or his family all over town in order to improve her own standing.

Someone...someone like Olivia.

As this thought struck him between the eyes, he looked up and saw her laughing at his father's story. It was then that he knew he was beginning to fall in love with her.

* * *

><p>Alan Wallace was not a stupid man by any stretch of the imagination. He was observant, much to the chagrin of all five of his children, who had tried to sneak something past him at some point or another. So he was perfectly aware that something was happening to his oldest son during the tea. He too had seen the expression on Matthew's face and hoped that it meant what he and Oswald Sims had been hoping for during these last weeks.<p>

Unbeknownst to his son (or Olivia for that matter), the two men had been talking about their children for some time. Oswald was concerned about Olivia just as he was worried about his Matthew. Both of them were hurting in ways that neither of them could know. They were aware of this, but as fathers they just wished there was more the could do for their children.

So they had done their best to keep their meddling wives from throwing them together more than usual. Oswald knew his daughter, and knew that Olivia would not appreciate being forced into something. And after knowing her himself, Alan agreed with his assessment. She had to decide for herself.

And Matthew was patient enough to wait until she did. His son was still the same in that regard.

But his son had changed some much in other ways. His smiles didn't come as easily anymore. He laughed rarely and when he did, it wasn't the echoing laughs that used to fill the dining room at dinner. He also knew that Matthew kept his nightmares to himself and didn't share them with anyone, except perhaps James on occasion.

James had his family and didn't visit as often now and Alan knew that Matthew was beginning to feel the loneliness that came from being one of the few unmarried men of his age. He had hoped that his son wouldn't marry just anyone to avoid being alone and so far, his hopes had been realized.

As their tea continued, Alan kept one eye on his son. Matthew was quieter than usual and as soon as one of the servants had been dispatched to walk Olivia home, Alan turned to his son. "Is there something on your mind, son?" Alan asked, lifting an eyebrow knowingly.

He watched as his son swung his gaze around to meet his own. "Father...I believe that I might be feeling something for Olivia other than friendship."

Hiding his smile behind an impassive front, Alan nodded slowly. "I know." he replied simply.

The look Matthew gave him was one of incredulity. "You knew?"

"Of course I knew." Alan said unruffled as he took another sip of his tea. "You're my son. As soon as I saw the way you were looking at her, I knew."

"Am I that transparent?" Matthew asked and Alan could hear the fear in his voice. His son was afraid of letting on to Olivia.

"Only to me, my son." he soothed. "Olivia will require someone patient, and in that respect, you haven't changed a bit."

Matthew was quiet for a moment. "How else am I the same?" he queried in a weary, dead tone that wrung at Alan's heart. His son had been so young to be a commander of a unit and he often feared that the burden had broken Matthew's spirit in a way.

"You are still kind, and care about the welfare of everyone you meet, no matter their social standing or occupation." Alan began, his tone gentle. "You still take joy in playing the piano and being uncle to your nieces and nephews. You enjoy killing the flowers and weeds alike in the garden..."

A chuckle escaped his son and Alan went on, heartened at the small smile on Matthew's face. "You are also still a great help to me, despite whatever you might think of yourself in that head of yours."

A half smile quirked Matthew's lip, then faded quickly into a more thoughtful expression. "And how long had you and Lord Ellis had the servants following Olivia and I on our walks?"

Blast. His son was on to them, but judging by the emerging grin on Matthew's face, he didn't mind overly much.

"As soon as you told us you had met." Alan admitted. "I had to restrain your mother from booking the wedding band on the spot."

Shaking his head, Matthew groaned. "And she wonders why I am reluctant to marry..."

"I was able to hold her back." Alan reminded his son. "As I shall continue to do until you and Olivia are settled."

"What makes you think we _will_ be settled, father?" Matthew asked.

Alan took his time to consider the matter carefully before he spoke. "You two are suited for each other in many ways, Matthew. You have both been through the war and can understand what the other has gone through in a way that not everyone can understand. You are both kind people and seem to be able to talk about anything, judging from the length of your talks!"

His son chuckled again. "And furthermore, you obviously trust her. And she has never broken that trust, has she Matthew?"

"No, she has not, Father." Matthew said softly. "So where do I go from here?"

"I recommend continuing as you have done. She is responding to you, but you still have to tread carefully."

"Olivia does not like to be pushed into a decision." Matthew nodded. "If she will love me, it must be because _she_ wishes to, not because she has been forced to by someone else. And...I would not wish that."

Alan smiled to himself. Matthew was in love, even if he was only just starting to see it. He and Olivia would be a good match because they would compliment each other but still be different. "Very wise of you, my son."

A sober look came over Matthew's face. "There is Robby Graves to consider, however."

"I think Olivia will have to handle that herself, Matthew." Alan cautioned. "After all, it is she that he has asked to marry several times, not you!"

This succeeded in making his son laugh. "Very true, father. Still, I've grown to think of him as a friend as well and hope that, should things work out between Olivia and I, I won't lose his friendship."

"Again, my son, I would let Olivia lead there when you become engaged." Alan said primly.

Matthew was taking a drink and almost spit out his tea. "When we become engaged? Father!"

As his son sputtered, Alan just ate another biscuit. He was going to have quite a lot to talk over with Oswald Sims the next time they met up. Unless he missed his guess, their families would be joined together soon enough.


End file.
